Festival Overview

Celebration of the river we call home at our annual Mid Mad Fest. Rain or Shine. Join us to paddle, eat and dance.

Who is this Fest for?

Whitewater paddlers of all abilities. We have an event for everyone.

Festival Schedule

Water Release: 9am – 4pm

 

Festival Location

On the mighty Middle Madawaska section of the Madawaska River (Madaoueskasibi in Algonquin). Camping, food and live music hosted at the Madawaska Kanu Centre’s magical wilderness lodge.

Ticket

$20 - $100 / person

Sliding scale donation toward the MKC paddling course bursary

Includes: river shuttles, paddling events, live music, camping Thursday night

Accomodation

Camping on Thursday | Included

MKC's wooded campsites are great for tents, trailers and campervans. Each site is equipped with a picnic table, onsite parking, and access to nearby washroom facilities. Bring your own camping and cooking equipment to enjoy meals at your site. Dishwashing station available. No electricity.

Check In

Between 8am & 10pm Thursday

Check Out

Friday by 10am

*If you are looking to upgrade to our Cabana, Lodge or Dorm please call us to book in advance as we have limited space. See all accommodation details here.

Food

Locally roasted specialty coffee and homemade snacks can be purchased from our Riverside Shop & Café.

Datsa Tasty Street Eats food truck will be on location from 11am – midnight

Celebrate the Madaoueskasibi (Madawaska River) with us!

August 28, 2025

Book Now

Look forward to paddling with you.

5 Days

5 Day Whitewater

MKC’s most popular course! Immerse yourself in the whitewater world and take your kayak and canoe skills to the next level.

Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

$1075 / Per person

COURSE DETAILS
Weekend

Weekend Whitewater

MKC’s Weekend Canoe or Kayak Clinic is an introduction to the exciting world of whitewater paddling.

Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

$500 / Per person

COURSE DETAILS
5 Days

Ottawa River Instruction

Kayak the famous Ottawa River with the people who know the river best! River running or freestyle – your choice!

Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

$290 - $1075 / Per person

COURSE DETAILS

Reviews

5 star ratingExciting, fun experience! Great experience. Reagan did an awesome job on our family rafting experience. She along with her partner, Tatiana made us feel safe at all times. My 10 year old grandson had an amazing first time experience and can’t wait to come back to try the Adventure Rafting!
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Marg W Avatar
Marg W
8/16/2024
5 star ratingPerfect Family Adventure I cannot say enough good things about MKC - their facilities, their staff, the river, all of it. My family actually joined the five day learn to kayak program (which was not an option in the TripAdvisor drop down). The river has just the right amount of challenge to be PERFECT for learning. There are easy lines for absolute beginners, and enough challenge that a competitive slalom race was being held for top competitors on an adjacent section of the river during our stay. We will be back in the future for the same program.
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Scott S Avatar
Scott S
7/28/2024
5 star ratingAwesome Awesome fun - great guides. Ralph made us all share his love for white water! Highly recommended for anyone- and do jump off the bridge 😉
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Camper434674 Avatar
Camper434674
7/30/2024
Wednesday November 27th

Early bird sale.

20% OFF

KAYAK AND CANOE PROGRAMS AT MKC

Please get in touch with us prior, so we can prepare your quote in advance.

early bird sale heron

Must place deposit between 9am and 6pm EST November 27th to receive discount.

We cannot combine discounts.

March 4th - 8th 2024

10% off

5 day kayak + canoe courses

5% of all revenue from this week is donated to your choice of three organizations

We are forever grateful for the support we continually receive from our communities. To say a small thanks, we want to give back.